In criminal cases, prosecutors should have to request a sentence up front, at the start of the case.

Then, if the defence wins the government should pay the defence lawyers a % of the cost of incarceration for every year requested. Let's say 50%

Why? Think about it: by winning, your lawyers just saved the government a _ton_ of money. The US spends an average of $31,000/inmate year. Canada is even higher: $114,000/inmate year.

Heck, do it for reduced sentences too...

https://globalnews.ca/news/4099115/cost-prisons-incarceration-canada-pbo/

@pete wtf. Your government spends like 80k USD per inmate/year?
Do they eat ribeye and drink champagne every day?